Berry Sauce – Barefoot in the kitchen

Warm berry sauce poured over cold ice is one of my favorite desserts. I make this sauce year-round and every time I serve it, it garners delighted guests.

This fruit sauce might just be the easiest recipe I have in my dessert recipe notebook. I scrawled it on a piece of paper almost 25 years ago while visiting a friend.

Berry sauce made from frozen berries

We passed out bowls of ice cream and her husband told us to wait a minute.

He mixed some frozen fruit and some sugar in a saucepan, let it simmer for a few minutes, and then transformed the simple bowl of ice cream into something much more elegant.

I was speechless (yes, imagine that) at the difference the warm fruit sauce made to this ice cream dish. The sweet berry flavor turned the simple dessert into a heavenly cold creamy bowl.

My whole family is happy when I get berries and a cup of ice cream out of the freezer. Not only is the taste delicious, the contrast between warm and cold temperatures is divine.

I’m all about easy and no-fuss ways to turn simple treats into something special, and this mixed berry sauce does just that.

Berry sauce for ice cream

Since there are so many possible combinations of berries and fruits in this sauce, I never get bored either.

Lest you think this sauce is only good as an ice cream topping, I also poured it over the vanilla bean cheesecake I made last week. From topping cheesecake to Greek yogurt to mousse cups or custard, this berry sauce makes everything better.

fruit topping

I’ve made this easy fruit sauce countless times over the years using whatever fruit I had in the freezer at the time. Cherries, strawberries and blueberries pair perfectly with this topping.

I also used raspberries for a slightly tart twist on the original berry sauce. A mix of different berries is my favorite combination, the different fruit flavors always go so well together.

Whatever berries or cherries you have stored in your freezer are sure to go well with this sauce! It’s so versatile and turns even the simplest of desserts into something special.

Recipe for berry sauce

Preparing this berry sauce is so easy that you hardly need a recipe. I’ve played with different amounts of sugar and berries and I still think the original is just perfect.

This sauce is as easy as combining berries and sugar in a skillet. Place frozen berries and a large ball of granulated sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir the berries occasionally until they soften and everything starts to merge.

Once the berries are fully thawed and soft, increase the heat to medium. Mash the berries with a potato masher, stirring constantly while the berries simmer, about 2 minutes.

If you don’t have a potato masher, a sturdy fork or the back of a spoon will do. Mash the berries until there are no large chunks of berries left.

Serve this sauce warm directly over Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream or Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream. It also makes a great topping for sundaes along with crushed nuts and homemade vanilla bean whipped cream.

Homemade gravy is worlds better than anything you can buy at the store and takes just minutes to make.

You can make the berry sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge so it’s ready to use whenever you need it. This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.

Fruit topping for cheesecake

Berry sauce is also my secret to turning a simple cheesecake into an elegant treat. Transform your vanilla cheesecake into a blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, or cherry cheesecake by simply pouring this sauce over it.

If using the sauce for cheesecake, first let it cool to room temperature. The flavor combination is phenomenal!

There are no limits to the possible uses of this sweet and simple berry sauce. Add some excitement to a yogurt parfait, drizzle over whole wheat pancakes, or mix into a cup of custard.

Once you have this sauce refrigerated, I highly recommend making a batch of mixed berry ice cream. I’m so glad I wrote this recipe down all those years ago!

I’ve never served this easy berry sauce to guests without rave reviews. There’s something heavenly about how the warm fruits melt into the cold ice cream or spread on a slice of creamy cheesecake. You will love it!

{originally posted 2/20/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/14/23}